Page 33 of Following Their Heart

“And get those extra gennies working so the radar never loses power.”

“On it.”

I address a few more items with my men, and then I’m holding my hand out to Cora. She kisses Grim on the cheek and comes to me, and my insides go slippery and jittery. Being with Cora makes me feel like a kid again, like when taking a woman to bed was an unfamiliar thrill. I wonder if Cora feels it too, this energy crackling between us.

She snuggles into my side as we stroll to her cabin. Compared to me, she’s a tiny thing. She’s my kitten. But I’m not afraid of breaking her.

Cora’s a tough cookie. She took my loving earlier today, and not only that, but she gave in return, lifting her hips to meet my frantic thrusts, bowing into me with all the power her slender muscles could muster.Christ.It’s like she was made for me. For my big body and my thick cock.

But she’s still underweight. She’s still healing from almost two years of torture. Maybe she’s made for me—made for all seven of us—but she’s not invincible. Tonight, she’s going to learn what it is to be held and cared for and appreciated for the woman she is and not for what her body can provide for a man.

I’m going to spoil her rotten.

She steps in front of me into her cabin, and immediately, she offers me tea or water. “Nah. No, thanks.” All I need is her. “You want some?”

She shakes her head no, peering up at me through lowered eyelashes. It’s dark in here, but not so dark I can’t make out the look of a woman appreciating a tender moment with a man. I’ll give her a million more of these moments, if she’ll let me.

“Pretty baby,” I say, cupping her cheek. “Come on. I’m taking you to bed.” I sweep her up and carry her to the bedroom, and I set her down on her enormous bed. “Where do you keep your night shirts, or whatever?”

“Top drawer.” She points at the dresser.

I have to light a lantern to find a matching set. I come out with some pink shorts and a cropped T-shirt made out of the same silky material, and I bring them to the bed. It’s my absolute pleasure to strip her from her day clothes. What’s torture is holding back from kissing every inch of her body while I do it. And covering up her naked body instead of laying her down and pushing into her like earlier.

It’s all worth it in the end to see the look on her face when I stretch out on the bed, in my pants and T-shirt, leaving her sitting on the edge of the mattress. She stares at me like I’ve grown a head out of my chest.

I link my hands behind my head and get comfortable. “What?”

“You’re just going to go to sleep?”

“Nah. Thought we could cuddle and talk.”

She snorts.

I laugh.

“You.Just want to cuddle,” she deadpans.

“Andtalk.”

She flops down beside me, and we lie face to face. Her deep-water eyes sparkle with good humor, and her lips are half-smiling, half-smirking. “What do you want to talk about?”

“Well, first, I wanted to thank you.”

“For what?” She has her head pillowed on her hands and her hair splayed out all around her. She looks like a princess in her silken jammies and her big bed.

“The best day of my life,” I say honestly.

Her face goes serious. Surprised. “Wow.” After a beat, she quirks a grin and says, “Imagine what I could do if I tried.”

That’s the thing. She doesn’t have to try.She’sthe perfect one. I’m the one who has to try. Today being so nice is the result of me actively suppressing my assholery. She was the same as always. Sweet, funny, and adventurous. I was the one who needed to change.

Totally worth it.

Once all this invader shit is behind us, I’m going to dedicate myself to givinghersome perfect days. First, I’ve got to take care of this Raptor asshole. Show him that no one comes to my mountain and takes what’s mine. No one.

But that’s a problem for another day. The problem facing me right now is coming to terms with the factI’ve done the one thing I vowed never to do again. I’ve let a woman into my head.

I face a choice, now. I could force her out and go back to being cold with her. Or I could give in to what feels so right. Even though it could rip me to shreds if things go wrong.

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